A pterosaur fossil rescued by federal police in 2013 in the city of Santos, on the coast of São Paulo, is the best-preserved flying reptile of its species ever found in Brazil. The fossil belongs to a pterosaur of the species Tupandactylus navigans, a flying reptile of the tapejaridae family, which lived between 145 and 66 million years ago in the Cretaceous Period.
This pterosaur had a huge crest at the top of its head, which made up most of the height of the animal. Also Tupandactylus navigans he had a huge keratin beak, just like modern birds. The fossil was intercepted by federal police along with 3,000 other pieces. It is believed to have been smuggled into the United States or Europe for a private collection.
common … in part
Pterosaur fossils are relatively common in Brazil, however, in general, only the skulls of these reptiles are found, which makes animal studies of this group very difficult. However, the fossil found eight years ago during the police response is fairly complete, with over 90% of the skeleton and soft tissue parts of the ridge and beak preserved.
The fossil is in a large boulder, which has been divided into six smaller pieces that fit together perfectly. It is believed that the stones were cut to be sold for construction. According to a study published in the digital scientific journal Plos A, the pterosaur measured more than 2.5 meters from wing to wing and was about a meter high.
stole badly
With these measurements, the researchers believe that the Tupandactylus navigans he did not travel much and spent most of his days on dry land. However, the skeleton exhibits characteristics that suggest the animal had the ability to take off quickly, an ability that would be used to flee predators.
Due to the characteristics of the beak, the researchers believe the animal was not a carnivore and fed on harder seeds, vegetables and fruits. The next steps in fossil studies will determine whether the individual was male or female. The find is on display at the Museum of Geosciences of the University of São Paulo (USP), in the Butantã district, west of the city of São Paulo.
Going through: Country Brazil
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